System and method for information communications

ABSTRACT

A method for locating a displaced person enables a third party tracker to track and locate a person by way of a personal transmitter, otherwise usable to order and pay for goods and/or services. The personal transmitter is normally used to remotely transmit order and/or payment preference data to a vendor to facilitate sales transactions. The personal transmitter may further, function, however to transmit a signal to the vendor when the customer approaches the vendor, which signal comprises not only preferred order information for vendor processing, but also person-identifying data. A web site acknowledges receipt of personal data sent from the transmitter as present at the vendor establishment site or area, and thus enables third party tracker to track movements of the transmitter carrier by way of the transmitted personal data at the vendor establishment site.

PRIOR HISTORY

This application is a divisional patent application of pending U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/787,487, filed in the United StatesPatent and Trademark Office on 17 Apr. 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to electronic transmission ofcertain predetermined data from a consumer to a merchant for the purposeof conducting trade. The data transmitted from the consumer to themerchant is an electronic order-specific for that consumer to thatmerchant or a pre-determined means of payment.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Cashless sales transactions are relatively old, as evidenced by ratherwell-developed bartering and/or swapping systems in many pre-capitalistor pre-market economies. These economies are considered to have reliedon tradition, top-down command, or community democracy instead of marketexchange organized primarily through bartering systems. Relations ofreciprocity and/or redistribution substituted for market exchange. Tradeand barter were primarily reserved for trade between communities orcountries. Bartering systems were also used when the monetary systemfailed to measure the economic value of goods. Regulated monetarysystems, however, came to the forefront and provided a more reliablevalue of goods and services. As a result, regulated monetary systems nowpredominate over the art for transacting sales in Western societies.Whereas cashless sales transactions may be viewed as relatively old,electronic means for transacting sales are relatively new phenomena.Certain systems and methods for electronically transacting sales and thelike are set forth briefly hereinafter.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,156 ('156 patent), which issued to Stadelmann,discloses a Transaction Method. The '156 patent teaches a transactionmethod for ordering goods or services by mobile telephone, an order fordelivery being transmitted to the services provider via a mobile radionetwork. At least certain order data, in which at least a monetaryamount is indicated, are packed in one or more SMS or USSD or e-mailshort messages, and are transmitted to a validation platform connectedto a short message service center. The indicated monetary amount isdeducted from a monetary account of the customer and is transferred to amonetary account of the services provider.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,837 ('837 patent), which issued to Nardozzi et al.,discloses a Method and Apparatus for Ordering Photofinishing Services.The '837 patent teaches a method, system and apparatus for displayingphotofinishing goods and/or services that are being offered for sale. Anapparatus is provided which includes a display device for displayingphotofinishing goods and/or services that are being offered for sale anda computer for controlling what is displayed on the display device. Acomputer software program is also provided for programming the computerso that a plurality of the photofinishing goods and/or services will bedisplayed on the display device and for program monitoring the sales thephotofinishing goods. The system allows for the remote reprogramming ofthe computer for modifying and or re-arranging the position of thephotofinishing goods and/or services on the display device.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,435 ('8,435 patent), which issued to Will et al.,discloses Electronic Ordering of Goods with Delivery by AutomaticDrive-up Storage Device. The '435 patent teaches a method and apparatusfor the order and delivery of goods in which the goods are transportedto one or more storage containers that are maintained in a drive-upstorage, retrieval, and dispensing mechanism. Goods are ordered via theInternet, telephone, or other electronic method, retrieved from awarehouse or store, and transported to the storage container by truck orby a regional train system designed for passenger use. The storagecontainer accepts packages, which are placed into a plastic storage boxand moved by an elevator assembly to a particular storage bin located ina matrix of bins arranged in columns and rows. When a customer arrivesto pick up a package, he or she drives up to the device and communicateswith the system via a keypad and display screen to identify the orderand present appropriate identification of the person or other means ofmaintaining security. A computer verifies the identification andretrieves the storage box, presenting it to the window of the vehicledriving up at an appropriate height so that the customer can retrievethe package. The use of a handheld wireless device by the customer canaid in ordering, checking order status, obtaining directions, providingidentification, and retrieving the order.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,915,272 ('272 patent), which issued to Zilliacus et al.,discloses a System and Method of Secure Payment and Delivery of Goodsand Services. The '272 patent teaches a system, method and computerprogram for ordering, paying for and delivering goods and services froma content provider to a user which assures the content provider that hewill be paid and that assures the user that he will receive the contentat an agreed upon price. Thus, this system, method and computer programfacilitates business transactions occurring between parties who do notknow each other by using a trusted third party to either take the user'sorder, deliver to the user's order, and/or bill the user the correctamount for the goods and services contracted for. This system, methodand computer program relies on the Global System for Mobile (GSM)communications system to authenticate the user and provide algorithmsand modules that are used to generate cipher keys and service responsesso as to insure the content provider will be paid and that the user willnot be overcharged. Further, these algorithms and modules are used toencrypt important information so as to prevent third parties fromintercepting this important information. Five business model modules aredetailed with numerous variations possible to accomplish the task offacilitating business transactions between parties that do notnecessarily know or trust each other.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,973,435 ('3,435 patent), which issued to Sioufi et al.,discloses a Method and System for Ordering Services or Products,Including Prescriptions. The '3,435 patent teaches a method and systemfor transmitting information included in a memory device to a remotelocation. The information included in the memory device could take theform of patient information as well as a prescription dosages and theremote location could be a pharmacy or a physician's office. The memorydevice could be fixedly attached to a drug container and a linker modulewould read the information contained in the memory device andautomatically contact a pharmacy located at a remote location to fill aparticular prescription. Information relating to the patient or theprescription which is filled can also be transferred from the remotelocation directly into the memory device through the linker module. Inaddition, the method and system can be used to order or purchase anyproducts or services from a vendor.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0032191 which wasauthored by Choi et al., describes a method of paying an electronicsettlement in an electronic commerce by assigning a payment settlementagency between a payer and a payee. The method includes a first step ofthe payer obtaining an electronic catalog from the payee throughInternet; a second step of the payer approving an access of a payer'sbank account by a payment settlement agency server; a third step of thepayer ordering goods to a payee server and paying a settlement throughof the payment settlement agency; a fourth step of the paymentsettlement agency server providing confirmation of an effect oftransaction between the payer and the payee to concerned parties of thetransaction; and a fifth step of transferring a deposit from the payer'sbank account to a payee's bank account through a financial network.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0039522, which wasauthored by Saxon, describes an automated ordering system including acentral station and numerous subscriber stations, including customer andvendor stations, whose sales transactions are regulated by the centralstation. A communication link, such as the Internet, permits eachstation to transmit and receive requisitions, purchase orders, andinvoices to and from the central station. Each remote station uses itsown internal item identification codes, preferably general ledgeraccount codes, to identify products to be purchased or sold. The centralstation maintains a database identifying the codes used by eachsubscriber station and relating different codes used by othersubscribing stations to identify similar products. A customer maytransmit to the central station a requisition for a product identifiedwith the customer accounting code and specifying a particular vendor.Using its database, the central station composes a purchase orderaddressed to the specified vendor and identifying the required productwith the vendor's code. The central station monitors the entiretransaction, ultimately to the parties to a transaction, accounting datain the form of ledger entries that can be immediately incorporated intotheir respect accounting systems. In a similar manner, the orderingsystem can identify vendors who supply a product desired by a customer,and automatically transmit requests for quotation to the vendors.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0038259, which wasauthored by Bergman et al., teaches a method and system for ordering andselling products at a venue. The invention provides a first wirelesscommunications device associated with an attendee operable to generatean order. The order information from the attendee is communicated fromthe first communications device to a server. The server is queried byvendor workstations at a venue. Orders are then displayed at the vendorworkstations and fulfilled by vendors who deliver ordered items to theattendee at the attendee location.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0049644, which wasauthored by Kargmann, teaches a system for the convenient and automatedexecution of a commercial transaction from a wired or wireless customerdevice, such as a cellular telephone. A transaction code is transmittedby the customer device to initiate the transaction. The customer devicecan be automatically populated with preconfigured codes for theinitiation of various transactions. Advertising and other promotionalmaterials can also be conveyed to the customer device.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0184109, which wasauthored by Hayet et al., teaches a method of efficient ordering ofgoods comprising the following steps: (a) a client interacts with anelectronic shopping system to indicate his willingness to place anorder, whereby said interaction optionally involves the addition offurther background information to the system and/or the addition oforder specific information to the system; (b) the electronic shoppingsystem produces a suggestion of the shopping list for said client basedon (1) information concerning goods which are available for ordering,their prices and optionally further information relating to said goods;and (2) information concerning the historic purchasing behavior of saidclient; and optionally (3) background information of said client; andoptionally (4) environmental information; and (c) said client reviewssaid suggestion of the shopping list and optionally amends said listfollowed by placing the order.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0187774, which wasauthored by Ritter et al, teaches a method with which a mobile user in amobile network can order products, with the following steps: recordingan image corresponding to the product to be ordered, linking the imagedata with a personal identification of the mobile user, transmitting thelinked order message to a server in said mobile radio network, comparingsaid image data with images stored in a product database, each of saidimage in said database being linked with an identification of theproduct provider, sending a message containing an identification of theordered product and of the ordering mobile user to said productprovider.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0198790, which isauthored by Paulo et al., teaches a system and method of ordering goodsor services including receiving a request for the goods or services froma user by way of a device and accessing a database having informationrelevant to the user and preferences, such as favorites, related to thegoods or services. Then forwarding an order for the goods or services toa provider, either a store as selected or a central server for selectionof a store, of the goods or services where the order is dependent on theinformation and receiving a reply such as an acknowledgment regardingthe order from the provider. A response may then be formulatedconcerning the order and the reply, the response preferably dependent oncapabilities of the device; and sending the response to the device usinginstant messaging, short messaging services or WAP messaging techniques.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0104804, which wasauthored by Iwata, teaches an apparatus for ordering goods or serviceswhich are advertised or promoted on a broadcast medium, such as a radiostation. The apparatus includes a client terminal which may be mountedin a vehicle such as an automobile. The client terminal includes a radiotransmitter for transmitting information to a service center. The clientterminal also includes a push button for activation to place an orderfor merchandise. The signal includes the vehicle location, terminalidentification, date and the frequency of the radio receiver. Theservice center utilizes this information to learn the identity of themerchandise being promoted and the merchant offering the merchandise.The service center then orders the merchandise for delivery to theclient.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0151495, which wasauthored by Ludvisen, teaches an order system where the user approachesthe terminal unit (1) of the service provider. To order the service, theuser calls the service providers terminal unit with the mobilecommunication apparatus. The terminal unit registers the identificationcode and transmits information and conditions related to the service tothe user's mobile communication apparatus, where this information isshown on a display (14). To accept the service and the serviceconditions, the user indicates the acceptance of the service conditionswhich is transmitted (5) to the terminal unit, after which theconnection between the mobile communication unit and the terminal unitis terminated. The terminal unit transmits (6), for example via atelephone line, the received data to the host computer (7) where thedata are controlled in connection with the service. The control mayinclude a check, whether the user has credit enough for payment of theorder. After the control, the terminal unit receives (8) indicationsfrom the host computer (7) whether to accept the data from the user forproviding the service. Acceptance may be indicated by a signal (9) atthe terminal unit, for example by an audio-visual indication, afterwhich the service is provided.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0156346, which wasauthored by Kulakowski, teaches a method of ordering goods and services.The customer initiates the connection to the system of ordering goodsand services, unequivocally related to the received transmission andduring the connection the customer orders goods or services offered bythe system of ordering goods and services, which refer to thetransmission. Preferably, the system of ordering goods and services isavailable for the whole duration of the transmission, being alwaysavailable in the same manner, dynamically changing the offer of goodsand services depending on the transmission, and in case of lack of theoffer suitably informing the customer during the connection oroptionally not servicing this connection at all.

United States Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0218040, which wasauthored by Sabapathypillai, teaches a method of taking a food/beverageorder at a food/beverage establishment includes receiving a menuselection from a customer mobile terminal in the food/beverageestablishment at a dedicated restaurant transceiver over a wireless dataconnection. The menu selection designates at least one food/beverageitem. The menu selection may be received responsive to transmittingfood/beverage menu content from the dedicated restaurant transceiver tothe mobile terminal. Also, a method of ordering food/beverage items at afood/beverage establishment includes transmitting a menu selectiondesignating at least one food/beverage item from a customer mobileterminal in the food/beverage establishment to a dedicated restauranttransceiver over a wireless data connection. The menu selection may betransmitted responsive to receiving food/beverage menu content from thededicated restaurant transceiver. Related devices and computer programproducts are also discussed.

From a consideration of the foregoing disclosures, it may be seen thatthe prior art does not teach a system for deploying currently availabletechnologies in a different manner to allow consumers the ability toremotely transmit order or communication data to a merchant or vendorvia a pre-loaded personal transmitter to reduce time and effortsassociated with doing business with that vendor. The prior art thusperceives a need for such a system and method for transacting a sale.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide asystem and method for electronically and wirelessly transmitting certainpredetermined data from a consumer to a merchant for the purpose ofconducting trade. The data transmitted from the consumer to the merchantis an electronic order—specific for that consumer to that merchant.Ordering this way significantly reduces the waiting time for the orderto be fulfilled but it also reduces the manpower requirements for themerchant processing the order. Along with the ordering information istransmitted an encrypted data string that points to a specificcustomer's data on a secured web site that allows that website toprocess the charges for the goods or services according to thespecifications established by the consumer for that Merchant. Sincenothing about the consumers banking or credit is being passed to themerchant it would be worthless information if someone else stole theinformation. The consumer would be capable to establishing their productor service preferences on the web site as well as their paymentdefinitions. Once the foregoing steps are completed, resultantinformation is downloaded to a personal ordering/payment device (POD)via a personal computer and a USB port on the device in an encryptedformat. The device would store such data until it was replaced orupdated by subsequent downloads by the consumer. When the consumer wouldbe within the proximity of the merchant, they could simply depress the“go” button on their POD device and the information for that merchant(order) would be transmitted accordingly.

The consumer would be totally in charge of their own orders, theassociated payments and which debit/credit cards were impacted by eachtransaction. Since that information would be stored on a securedwebsite—each consumer would be responsible for maintaining security,balances on their debit/credit cards and their exposure to risk. Shouldany transaction appear on any of the designated accounts that is not theconsumers, they could shut down the device or accounts in real-time(immediately).

Access to the web site from authorized vendors would be through theunique customer/bank account number that is created and downloaded tothe POD. This unique number points the commerce clearing subsystem tothe correct customer and account for processing the transaction. Theunique number is only known to the POD and the Commerce server—like arolling code on garage doors—it changes every time a download is done toenhance security. The radio transmissions are also conducted in asimilar manner, so someone will have to work real hard to break into itand they will only get the data intended for a specific merchant—theirorder information and the pointer address. Without security to accessthe website, they will only get meaningless information—or worst case acharge processed for the value of the ordered goods or services.

The POD device is a standalone device or it could be part of a cellularphone. What makes it different is that proprietary communications occursbetween the device and a receiver at the merchants' location—not usingBluetooth® or cellular communications, but proprietary radio frequencytechnology that is readily available from Motorola or othercommunications providers. Communications capabilities from the radioreceiver to the merchant's point of sale are readily available as is thecapability to process the charges to the financial intermediary.

This patent application is not intended to focus on those processes, butthe process of allowing the consumers the ability to establish their ownordering preferences and payment preferences and the initiation of theordering of goods or services with the encrypted data stored andcommunicate through a portable ordering/payment device (POD).

The Pod can also be used to identify the owner, the owners medicalissues and even become a personal locator—by activating a GPS (GlobalPositioning System) chip imbedded in the keyfob, a child that is lost orabducted can notify everyone of their location. The data on the keyfobis useless to someone who steals it—so it would reduce the threat oftheft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features of my invention will become more evident from aconsideration of the following brief description of patent drawings:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart type depiction setting forth certain order andpayment methodology for effecting a purchase according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart type depiction setting forth certain paymentmethodology for effecting a purchase according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic type depiction of a residence in communicationwith central processing means (symbolized by a desktop type personalcomputer), which central processing means is in communication with anoff-site database.

FIG. 4 is a schematic type depiction of an intelligent devicetransmitting data to a generic vendor establishment by way of radiofrequency transmission means, the generic vendor establishment havingpayment processing means (as symbolized by a cash register) and meansfor processing an order (as symbolized by a coffee cup).

FIG. 5 is a schematic type depiction of the generic vendor establishmentotherwise depicted in FIG. 4 transmitting payment information to, andreceiving electronic funds settlement from, a generic financialinstitution.

FIG. 6 is a schematic expanded type flow chart symbolically depictingcertain purchasing methodology according to the present inventionotherwise depicted in FIGS. 3-5.

FIG. 7 is a generic screen shot depicting a grid-like table forinputting and amending a purchaser's order preference data and paymentdata.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED METHODOLOGY(IES)

A personal transmitter or key fob 10 transmits a signal to the vendorestablishment 20 that the customer has arrived in proximity to theestablishment and that the customer would like to order a specificproduct or service. The receiving vendor's point of sale system willthen acknowledge receipt, generate the order and automatically submitthe transaction for payment through a secured interne connection. Thesecured web site as at 11, which web-site is maintained by the consumer,acknowledges the receipt of the payment request—retrieves the specifictransaction information for that specific vendor—and processes thepayments electronically as requested.

Customer information, vendor preferences and encrypted Customer paymentspecific pointers are downloaded to the remote transmitter or key fob 10through a USB port on an ongoing basis and stored as encrypted data.When in proximity of the specific vendor, the consumer simply pushes thetransmit button on the key fob 10. The transmission is received by areceiver and acknowledged back to the key fob so the consumer can verifyit was received. If multiple receivers are within the proximity of theconsumer, it is contemplated that the key fob 10 may provide an errormessage and means for displaying or presenting the different vendors tothe consumer will become actuated. Said means thus allow the consumer tovalidate which vendor they intend to do business with by validating witha confirm signal from the key fob 10.

Referring now to the drawings with more specificity, it is contemplatedthat the present invention essentially comprises a purchasing system andmethod for effecting a purchase or transaction method by way of anintelligent device such as a key fob 10 or cellular telephone asgenerally illustrated and referenced in FIGS. 4 and 6. It iscontemplated that the purchasing system of the present inventionpreferably comprises or incorporates the use of a secure web-site orInternet-based database 11 as generically illustrated and referenced inFIGS. 3 and 6. The secure web-site or Internet-based database 11preferably comprises certain means for receiving and storing apurchaser's order preference data (as generally referenced at 100) and apayment preference data (as generally referenced at 101) as exemplifiedin FIG. 7. In other words, it is contemplated that the Internet-baseddatabase 11 may well function to track customers' or consumer's orderpreferences, charges, and credit availability. It is contemplated thatan annual fee may be charged for the web-hosting services according tothe present invention.

It is contemplated that the system may further comprise certain meansfor inputting a purchaser's order preference data as may be defined bystate of the art data inputting means for accessing and interacting witha web-site such as a keyboard and/or mouse otherwise cooperable with amonitor and central processing unit for enabling the user or purchaserto input and update data at the web-site. The means for inputting apurchaser's order and payment preference data is thus genericallysymbolized by a personal computing type unit 103 as referenced in FIGS.3 and 6. After accessing the web-site 11 by way of the personalcomputing unit 103 (whether from a business site or residential site (asat 104 in FIGS. 3 and 6), the order and payment preference template 105as generally illustrated and depicted in FIG. 7 may be amended orupdated as per the preference of the purchaser. It may be readilyunderstood from an inspection of FIG. 7 that any number of vendors(offering various goods and services) and order and payment preferencesmay be tracked and updated at the web-site 11. For example, a customermay access the web-site 11 and update his or her personal preferenceprofile(s) for various merchants or restaurants in terms of eatingpreferences, meals, various associated services, and the like; as wellas update his or her bank or financial institution information for thepurpose of (re)directing debits and payments.

Referencing FIG. 7, in particular, the reader is directed to vendor 12,for which the purchaser has provided or input morning, lunch, and dinnerorder preference data as at 13, 14, and 15 respectively. The purchaser'spayment for each of the order preferences may be made by way of anumbered debit account as at 16. Notably, vendor 12 offers consumablegoods such as coffee. It is contemplated that the present inventionoperates particularly well with regularly visited vendors from whichtypical orders may be sought. A purchaser's order preference for coffeeor other good or service during the morning, lunch, dinner, and othercolumns may thus be input and/or amended as per the election of thecustomer.

In this last regard, it should be noted that other goods and serviceproviders, while preferred, but may not be targeted for typical everydayorders. The customer or client, however, may wish to designate certainpayment data for a particular vendor or service provider. In thisregard, the reader is further directed to reference numbers 17 and 18 inFIG. 7. From an inspection of FIG. 7, and a consideration of referencenumbers 17 and 18, it will be seen that the customer or client may inputa doctor's office 17 and associate a credit card account 18 for thatservice provider. It will thus be seen that the table or template 105 iseasy to maintain, is expandable, and essentially functions to defineorder or service preferences, as well as payment preferences (or how topreferably process charges for the preferred goods/services). Thisenables the customer or consumer to effectively manage his or her creditauthorizations and payments.

When the vendor or service provider is physically approached by thecustomer or client (as at 106 in FIG. 6), the vendor service provider isprovided with the payment information (such as credit card information)by way of the carried key fob or intelligent device 10. In this lastregard, it is contemplated that the purchaser's order preference dataand the payment preference data (as exemplified in FIG. 7) may bedownloaded to the intelligent device 10 by way of USB port(s) 19 andunder the direction or as enabled by certain data inputting meanscommonly associated with computer hardware.

It may thus be readily seen that the web-site 11 allows for the creationof a purchaser's personal order preferences, which preferences may thenbe downloaded to a key fob, cellular telephone, or similar otherintelligent device 10. It is contemplated that the transmissible datamay preferably be stored and transmitted in an encrypted manner so as toenhance the security of the system. In this regard, the reader isfurther directed to column 20 in FIG. 7, which column depicts variousencrypted pointer indices. Further, if the key fob or similar otherintelligent device 10 is lost or stolen, it is contemplated that theweb-site 11 may preferably comprise means for enabling the user orpurchaser to quickly and effectively deactivate all billing.

It is contemplated that the intelligent device 10 may preferablycomprise a mini USB port as at 19; a green light display 22 for visuallyalerting the purchaser that the order is confirmed; a red light display23 for visually alerting the purchaser that the order is not confirmedor that other methodological problems may have occurred; key ringattachment means 24 for enabling the purchaser to attach the key fob 10to a key ring; and a radio transmitter. USB port 21, green light display22, red light display 23, and key ring attachment means 24 are generallydepicted and referenced in FIGS. 4 and 6.

From an inspection of the noted figures, it may understood that the miniUSB port 19 of the intelligent device 10 allows for downloading datafrom the Internet via a personal computing unit 103 or similar othermeans for accessing the Internet. The intelligent device 10 may furthercomprise a small light emitting diode (LED) window as at 25 for alertingthe customer or consumer when more than one vendor establishment 20 isresponding to radio transmission(s) 107 to and from the intelligentdevice 10, as might happen if two or more vendor establishments 20 arein close proximity to the arriving purchaser as symbolically depicted inFIG. 6. When multiple vendors or vendor establishments 20 areresponding, it is contemplated that the window 25 may prompt the user toredirect the order and payment preference data to the proper or targetvendor.

In this last regard, it is contemplated the user may continue to push a“go” button 21 until the correct vendor or vendor establishment 20 isidentified. It is contemplated that the “go” button 21 may be preferablyheld until the green light display 22 illuminates. The same process maybe practiced if the intelligent device 10 is used to pay for itemswithout transmitting preferred order information. If multiple vendors orvendor establishments 20 are responding to a purchaser's signal (as at107), the purchaser may keep rotating through the vendor listing(displayed on the window 25) with the “go” button 21 until the propervendor or vendor establishment 20 is selected. The “go” button 21 maythen be held down. Preferred payment information may then beauthenticated and routed.

It should be understood that the intelligent device 10 essentially andpreferably comprises certain means for receiving downloadable data, andcertain means for wirelessly transmitting (sending/receiving) thedownloaded data following transit of the device 10. In this last regard,it is contemplated that the wirelessly transmitted data may preferablyinclude data such as purchaser's order preference data 100 and paymentpreference data 101. The data 100 and 101 may be wirelessly transmittedto a select vendor establishment 20 upon physically approaching thatestablishment as generally depicted and referenced at vector arrow 108in FIG. 6.

In other words, it is contemplated that the intelligent device 10,having received downloaded data 100 and 101 from the web-site 11, may becarried or otherwise transported to a select vendor establishment 20 andactuated (via a pushable “go” button 21) for wirelessly transmitting theorder preference data 100 and the payment preference data 101 to theselect vendor establishment 101. It is contemplated that the wirelesstransmission may be effected by way of a small radio send/receive unithoused within the intelligent device 10 (not specifically illustrated)and housed at the vendor establishment 20. In this regard, it iscontemplated that close proximity radio transmissions may well functionto enhance the methodology of the current invention.

Thus, as a customer nears a select vendor establishment 20, he or shemay press a “go” button 21. The order and/or payment preference data100/101 is then transmitted to the select vendor establishment 20 andmay optionally be printed inside the vendor establishment 20 for recordkeeping purposes. It is contemplated that the order preference data 100may include instructions on whether the order is for dine-in orcarry-out (as might be the case for a restaurant establishment). Theorder may then by acknowledged (via a green light display 22) on the keyfob or similar other intelligent device 10, and processed according tothe order preference data 100. Further, electronic transfer of funds maybe effected by way of the transmitted preferred payment information.

It may thus be seen that the customer or consumer saves time, isrelieved of the need to carry cash, and receives exactly what they want(assuming the order is processed correctly). Further, the select vendorestablishment 20 is relieved of the need to hire service personnel toreceive orders and to tend a cash register (as at 26) for effecting thesale or transaction. It is contemplated that the select vendorestablishment 20 receives electronic compensation daily from the bank orother financial institution 27 through state of the art automatedsettlements processes as generally depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6 as at 109.However, in this regard, it is contemplated that the customer creditdata itself is preferably not received by the vendor establishment 20;rather, it is preferred that the vendor or vendor establishment 20receives only encrypted pointers to customer or consumer accounts forsettlement(s). The customer's credit is thus never at risk. Further, thecustomer may exert control over the device 10 by way of access throughthe secured Internet site 11. Since the vendor or vendor establishment20 does not receive cash by way of the present invention, cash handlingis eliminated and the risk of theft or fraud is greatly reduced.

Whereas the foregoing specifications may be said to support certainsystemic means for effecting a purchase by way of an intelligent device,it is contemplated that the present invention further teaches certainpurchasing methodology. The purchasing method contemplated by thepresent invention may be said to comprise a series of steps, includingan initial step of inputting a purchaser's order preference data 100 andinputting a purchaser's payment preference data 101 at a secure web-site11 substantially as heretofore described and as referenced at referencenumeral 30 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The data 100 and/or 101 may be entered intothe database 11 by way of a personal computing unit 103 located within acomfortable business or residential setting as at 29 in FIGS. 3 and 6.

After the data 100 and/or 101 are input or otherwise amended at theweb-site or database 11, it is contemplated that the data 100 and/or 101may be downloaded into or onto an intelligent device 10 such as a keyfob as referenced at number 31 in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is contemplated thatthe intelligent device 10 of the present invention is designed for easeof use and transport. The key fob device 10 may thus be carried orotherwise transported 108 (further referenced in FIGS. 1 and 2) assymbolically represented by a generic carrier device or automobile 28 inFIG. 6. Thus, the method of the present invention contemplates a step ofcarrying the intelligent device 10 to a vendor establishment area 20.The key notion being here addressed is that the intelligent device 10may well function to house the purchaser's order and/or paymentpreference data 100, 101 for ease of further transmission to the vendorestablishment 20 or vendor establishment area 40 (potentially comprisinga plurality of vendor establishments 20) upon arriving in closeproximity thereto.

Upon arriving in close proximity to the vendor establishment area 40,the purchaser may then transmit 32 the device-carried order preferenceand/or payment preference data 100, 101 to the vendor establishment areafrom the intelligent device 10 as referenced in FIGS. 1 and 2. In thislast regard, it should be noted from an inspection of FIGS. 1 and 2,that the difference between the subject figures is essentially that FIG.1 depicts flowchart diagram methodology for transmitting both orderpreference data 100 and payment preference data 101 to the vendorestablishment(s) 20, whereas FIG. 2 depicts a flowchart diagrammethodology for transmitting only payment preference data to the vendorestablishment(s) 20.

The vendor establishment area 40 may thus receive the transmitted orderpreference data and/or payment preference data 100, 101 as depicted andreferenced at 33 in FIGS. 1 and 2. After receiving the data 100 and/or101, the data may preferably be validated as at 34, and processed as at35 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Notably, the act of processing the data 100 and/or101 as at 35 may be defined by processing the purchaser's orderpreference data 100 for effecting a delivered order; and transacting asale by way of the payment preference data 101 (preferably encrypted).The processing of the payment preference data 101 may be intermediatethe select or target vendor establishment 20 and the financialinstitution 27 according to state of the art methods. After the sale istransacted or processed, the processed order (e.g. a coffee) may bedelivered (as at 36 in FIGS. 1 and 2) to the purchaser as generallydepicted by vector arrow 110 and a coffee symbol 111 in FIG. 6.

It is contemplated that a number of additional steps may be implementedas a means to enhance the basic processes involved. In this regard, itis contemplated, for example, that the method may comprise the step ofacknowledging receipt (as at acknowledgement(s) 37) of the transmittedorder and/or payment preference data 100/101 after receiving thetransmitted order/payment preference data 100/101 as generally depictedat 37 in FIGS. 1 and 2. If the data are not received, an error alert maybe sent to the purchaser by way of the red light display 23 as generallyreferenced at 39 in FIGS. 1 and 2. If the red light display 23 isreceived signaling an error in transmission, the purchaser may attemptto reprocess the order transmission by hitting the “go” button 21 as at41 in FIGS. 1 and 2. If the purchaser again receives a red light display23 or other error message, he or she may elect to place an ordermanually or by way of more conventional method(s) as at 42 in FIGS. 1and 2. It is thus contemplated that the methodology of the presentinvention may preferably comprise certain steps for alerting thepurchaser to a methodological problem or error.

Further, it is contemplated that the step of validating the receivedorder preference 100 and/or payment preference data 101 may comprise thesteps of transmitting/receiving a confirmation request as at 38 in FIGS.1 and 2. Notably, the confirmation request may well function to confirma target vendor within the vendor establishment area. In other words, ifthe purchaser approaches the vendor establishment area 40, and transmitsdata, several vendors may reply and transmit a confirmation request,whereafter the purchaser may select the target vendor establishment 20from a possible listing as possibly displayed upon the window 25.

The method may further comprise the steps of transmitting sales data andcertain payment data to the web-site 11 from the vendor establishmentarea 40 after or during the step of transacting the preferred paymentdata 101 as generally referenced at 43 in FIGS. 1 and 2, whereafter theweb-site or server hosting the web-site may receive the sales data andpayment data as transmitted from the vendor establishment area 40 andapply charges accordingly against credit/debit accounts. The methodologymay comprise the step of updating certain database information with thepurchase payment information; and electronic funds settlement may betransferred (as at 112) to one or more of the vendor's receivableaccount(s) for finalizing the transaction as generally depicted at 46 inFIGS. 1 and 2.

The transaction events (i.e. the processed order and the transactedsale) may thus be logged after or during the step of receiving the salesdata and purchase payment information, and the purchaser may be notifiedof the electronic funds settlement transfer as at 45 in FIGS. 1 and 2for record keeping purposes. Indeed, all transactions may preferably bemade the subject of audit trailing as generally referenced at 44 inFIGS. 1 and 2. After a transaction is finalized, the purchaser may electto amend his or her preferences. In this regard, it is contemplated thatthe purchaser may amend the order preference data 100 and/or paymentpreference data 101 by again accessing the web-site 11 and inputtingcertain preference data. In other words, the method may comprise thestep of amend the preference data during the step of inputting thepreference data.

While the above descriptions contain much specificity, this specificityshould not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention,but rather as an exemplification of the invention. For example, theinvention may be said to essentially teach or disclose a transactionsystem and method for effecting a purchase or transacting a sale. Acustomer's preferred order and payment information may be input into adatabase as accessed through a preference data web-site (as at 11). Thepreference data may then be downloaded into a hand-holdable key fob orpersonal transmission device 10. The key fob or personal transmissionunit 10 thus comprises means for receiving, housing, and wirelesslytransmitting the purchaser's order preference and payment preferencedata.

The preference data may be transmitted to at least one vendorestablishment by carrying the personal transmission unit 10 to a selectvendor establishment area and actuated by push-button means. Each vendorestablishment preferably comprises means for wirelessly receivingtransmitted data, means for processing received data, means forvalidating received data, and means for delivering an order as requestedfrom the received data. The intelligent device or personal transmissionunit 10 thereby enables a purchaser to transmit device-housed orderpreference and payment preference data to the vendor establishment. Thevendor establishment (1) receives the transmitted order preference andpayment preference data; (2) validates the received order preference andpayment preference data; (3) processes the order preference data; (4)transacts a sale by way of the payment preference data; and (5) deliversa processed order to a purchaser.

The system may be said to further preferably and essentially comprise(1) certain means for acknowledging receipt of the transmitted orderpreference and payment preference data after receiving the same; (2)certain means for transmitting transaction data to the preference dataweb-site from the vendor establishment; (3) certain means for updatingthe preference data web-site; (4) certain means for logging transactionevents; (5) certain means for transferring electronic funds settlementto a vendor account; (6) certain means for notifying the purchaser ofelectronic funds settlement transfer; and (7) certain means for alertingthe purchaser to a methodological problem, such as non-receipt oftransmission, insufficient funds, order problems, multiple vendorconflicts, unsecured transmission, etc.

The present invention further contemplates certain transactionmethodology or purchasing methodology for effecting a purchase by way ofa personal transmitter and/or locating an otherwise displaced personeither by way of a signal received by vendor(s) or by way of a purchasetrail left at vendor(s). The purchasing method may be said toessentially comprise the steps of: inputting a purchaser's orderpreference data and a purchaser's payment data at a secure web-site;downloading the purchaser's order preference and payment data to anintelligent device from the web-site; carrying the intelligent device toa vendor establishment area, the intelligent device housing thepurchaser's order preference and payment data; transmittingdevice-carried order preference and payment data to the vendorestablishment area from the intelligent device; receiving thetransmitted order preference data and payment data at the vendorestablishment area; validating the received purchaser's order preferenceand payment data; processing the purchaser's order preference data;transacting a sale by way of the payment data thereby amending thepayment data; and delivering a processed order to the purchaser at thevendor establishment.

The method for locating a displaced person by way of a personaltransmitter may be said to preferably comprise the steps of: inputtingpersonal data at a web-site; downloading the personal data to atransmitter; carrying the transmitter with personal data to a vendorestablishment area; transmitting transmitter-carried personal data tothe vendor establishment area from the transmitter; and locating adisplaced person (who may activate the transmitter when nearing thevendor establishment area) by way of the personal data as transmitted tothe vendor establishment area.

More particularly, the method for locating a displaced person may besaid to comprise the steps of: identifying a to-be-tracked person;uploading data that identifies the to-be-tracked person to a web-site,thereby uploading person-identifying data; storing theperson-identifying data upon a server associated with the web-site;downloading the person-identifying data to a personal transmitter;providing the to-be-tracked person with the personal transmitter withdownloaded person-identifying data; and carrying the personaltransmitter by the to-be-tracked person to a vendor establishment site.

Once at the vendor establishment site, the person-identifying data maybe transmitted to the vendor establishment site from the personaltransmitter by the to-be-tracked person; and said site receives theperson-identifying data. The person-identifying data is linked to thevendor site-identifying data whereafter it is uploaded or otherwisetransferred from the vendor establishment site to the web-site. Theto-be-tracked person may then be tracked by way of the uploaded andlinked vendor site-identifying data; and the to-be-tracked person may belocating by way of the vendor site-identifying data as uploaded from thevendor establishment site.

It is noted that order preference data and payment preference data arenot necessarily both required to effect a purchase. In other words, ifthe target vendor is a service provider, offering only one service, suchas a car wash or oil change, the customer may simply wish to designate apreferred payment for that transaction. In this regard, the method mayomit preferred order data and instead simply transmit preferred paymentinformation. In this last regard, it is contemplated that if thepreferred payment data is properly validated, a reservation for servicesor a request to pick-up a unilateral or one dimensional order (an orderfor a service or product without preferences) may be made as referencedat 47 in FIG. 2.

Certain preferred steps may include acknowledging receipt of thetransmitted order preference and/or payment preference data afterreceiving the transmitted preference data. Further, the method maycomprise the step of validating the received order preference and/orpayment preference data by way of transmitting a confirmation request(in the event of multiple vendors in a vendor establishment area). Inother words, the confirmation request essentially functions to confirm aselect target vendor within the vendor establishment area. The personaltransmitter may then receive the transmitted confirmation request duringthe step of validating the received order preference and payment data.

The information generated from the transaction event may then betransmitted to the preference data web-site from the vendorestablishment area after transacting or during the sale by way of thepayment preference data. Settling accounts naturally follows a salestransaction and thus the step of transferring electronic fundssettlement to a vendor account may be included, as well as notifying thepurchaser of the electronic funds settlement transfer.

All transaction events may be logged or otherwise made the subject ofaudit trailing after or during the sales transaction for record-keepingpurposes. Methodological problems may arise and thus certain steps maybe taken to alert the user of an error. Further, the preference data maychange as per the preference(s) of the purchaser. In this regard, it iscontemplated that the web-site may be easily amended and/or updated (forfurther download to the personal transmitter 10) as a means to loopthrough the transaction methodology.

Although the invention has been described by reference to a system ofbroad-based components and certain methodology as supported thereby, itis not intended that the novel transaction system(s) and method(s) belimited thereby, but that modifications thereof are intended to beincluded as falling within the broad scope and spirit of the foregoingdisclosure and the appended drawings.

For example, the foregoing specifications support a transaction methodenabled by a hand-holdable or hand held personal transmitter, whichtransmitter receives, houses, and transmits personal preference data toa vendor establishment for decreasing processing time and improvingproduct flow. Thus, the invention may be said to comprise a system andmethod supported by these basic notions and as enabled by the teachingsset forth in this disclosure.

1. A method for locating a displaced person by way of a personaltransmitter, the method comprising the steps of: identifying ato-be-tracked person; uploading data that identifies the to-be-trackedperson to a web-site, thereby uploading person-identifying data; storingthe person-identifying data upon a server associated with the web-site;downloading the person-identifying data to a personal transmitter;providing the to-be-tracked person with the personal transmitter withdownloaded person-identifying data; carrying the personal transmitter bythe to-be-tracked person to a vendor establishment site; transmittingthe person-identifying data to the vendor establishment site from thepersonal transmitter by the to-be-tracked person; receiving theperson-identifying data at the vendor establishment site; linking theperson-identifying data to vendor site-identifying data; uploading thelinked person-identifying data and vendor site-identifying data from thevendor establishment site to the web-site; tracking the to-be-trackedperson by way of the uploaded and linked vendor site-identifying data;and locating the to-be-tracked person by way of the vendorsite-identifying data as uploaded from the vendor establishment site. 2.The method of claim 1 comprising the step of a creating a profile forthe to-be-tracked person at the web-site before uploading data thatidentifies the to-be-tracked person to the web-site.
 3. A method forlocating a displaced person by way of a personal transmitter, the methodcomprising the steps of: identifying a to-be-tracked person; creating aprofile for the to-be-tracked person upon a server; transferringperson-identifying data of to-be-tracked person to the server; storingthe person-identifying data upon the server; transferring theperson-identifying data to a personal transmitter; providing theto-be-tracked person with the personal transmitter with transferredperson-identifying data; carrying the personal transmitter by theto-be-tracked person to a vendor establishment site; transmitting theperson-identifying data to the vendor establishment site from thepersonal transmitter by the to-be-tracked person; receiving theperson-identifying data at the vendor establishment site; transferringthe person-identifying data and vendor site-identifying data from thevendor establishment site to the web-site; and tracking theto-be-tracked person by way of the uploaded vendor site-identifyingdata.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the person-identifying data islinked to the vendor site-identifying data before transferring theperson-identifying data and vendor site-identifying data from the vendorestablishment site to the server.
 5. The method of claim 4 comprisingthe step of locating the to-be-tracked person by way of the vendorsite-identifying data as transferred from the vendor establishment site.6. The method of claim 3 wherein the server supports an on-line portal,the person-identifying data and vendor site-identifying data beingtransferrable via the on-line portal.
 7. A method for locating adisplaced person by way of a personal transmitter, the method comprisingthe steps of: inputting personal data at a web-site; downloading thepersonal data to a transmitter; carrying the transmitter with personaldata to a vendor establishment area; transmitting transmitter-carriedpersonal data to the vendor establishment area from the transmitter; andlocating a displaced person by way of the personal data as transmittedto the vendor establishment area.
 8. The method of claim 7 comprisingthe step of identifying a to-be-tracked person before inputting personaldata at the web-site, the personal data for identifying theto-be-tracked person.
 9. The method of claim 8 comprising the step ofproviding the to-be-tracked person with the transmitter afterdownloading the personal data to the transmitter.
 10. The method ofclaim 7 comprising the step of receiving the transmitted,transmitter-carried personal data after the stop of transmitting thetransmitter-carried personal data.
 11. The method of claim 10 comprisingthe step of forwarding the personal data from the vendor establishmentarea to the web-site after receiving the transmitted,transmitter-carried personal data.
 12. The method of claim 11 whereinthe personal data is linked to vendor establishment area data beforelocating the displaced person.
 13. The method of claim 7 comprising thestep of tracking the displaced person by way of the transmittedtransmitter-carried personal data.
 14. The method of claim 7 wherein theweb-site is supported by a server, the personal data being stored uponthe server after being input at the web-site.